Stock for single-barreled or double-barreled guns



MOUSSEAUX. STOCK FOR SINGLE BARRELED OR- DOUBLE BARRELED GUNS.

APPLlCATlON FILED APR. 5, 1920.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT once.

STOCK FOR SINGLE-BARRELED OR DOUBLE-BARRELED GUNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (Pet. 18, 1921.

Application filed April 5, 1920. Serial No. 371,431.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L., 1313.)

T 0 all to ham it may concern.

Be it known that I, EUGENE MOUSSEAUX, a citizen of France, residing at Le Mans, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stocks for Single- Barreled or Double-Barreled Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to guns, and particularly to the stock of the gun.

In order for a gun to be properly aimed, whether the gun is a double barreled gun or a single barreled gun, and whether it is a rifle or a shot gun, it is necessary for the gunner to sight along the upper surface of the gun either between the barrels, where a double barreled gun is used, or over the top of the single barrel.

In order to secure this condition, the axis of all small arms known to me is slightly deviated with reference to the vertical plane passing through this line of sight, but this deviation in all guns known to me is such that the necessary room is not left for the cheek of the gunner between the surface of the stock and this line of sight. Because of the lateral displacement or deviation of the stock, the effect of the recoil, instead of being transmitted directly to the shoulder, follows the axis of the stock created at the moment of rotation and tends to give the muzzle a circular movement.

The general object of my invention is to overcome this difficulty by so shaping the stock as to providea surface against which the gunner may lay his cheek, such surface being so disposed that the eye of the gunner will be in line with the line of sight, while the recoil is transmitted to the central axis of the posterior portion of the butt and so transmitted properly to the shoulder of the gunner, this surface being of such character as to give a firm and relatively wide support to the cheek of the gunner and elimihating the stop which is found on the upper ridge of all gun stocks knownto me, replacing it by a relatively large cheek supporting surface which prevents the gunner from being hurt by the upper stock when the gun recoils, because of being imperfectly held.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in'the accom panying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rear portion of a gun with my improved stock;

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the gun shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line AA of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line B-B of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a rear end elevation of the butt of the gun;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of stock;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line CC of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section on the line DD of Fig. 6.

1O designates the barrels of the gun, which gun is illustrated as a double barreled gun, though my invention is not limited thereto, and 11 the stock of the gun, which is con structed in all respects in the ordinary and conventional manner, except as regards the cross section of the stock.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the line XY indicates the line of sight, while the line M-N in Figs. 3, 4L and 5 indicates the vertical axial plane of the gun which intersects the line X-Y. This axis of symmetry M-N, as illustrated in Fig. 5, is medially disposed at the posterior end of the gun butt.

That portion of the stock immediately forward of the rearmost portion of the gun butt, but rearward of the shaft of the stock does not have bi-lateral symmetry, as is illustrated plainly by the sections, Figs. 3 and 4, but the stock is greater in width on one side of this axial plane than on the opposite side. This is done so as to provide a surface, designated 1 in Figs. 3 and 4, which in Figs. 1 to 4:, is somewhat convexly curved, against which the gunner may lay his cheek while one eye of the gunner is brought in line with the line of sight XY.' This curved surface 1 does not terminate at the upper edge of the axial plane, but extends over toward the right of the stock beyond this axial plane, and then the right side face of the stock is slightly hollowed out,

as at 2-, to afford a good grip for the hand. The rounded face 1 on the line of the cross section A-A extends downward for about one-half the depth of the stock and on the line of this cross section terminates in the small shoulder 3. The stock on the left side gradually increases in width back to the line of the section DD', and'then gradually decreases in width until it merges into the elliptical section of the posterior end of the gun butt. The shoulder 3, therefore, gradually merges into the contour on the left side of the stock, while the concave portion 2 gradually gets shallower as it extends rearward. 7

It will be noticed that the cheek surface 1, with reference to the line of aim, can be such that the eye, when the cheek of the gunner is laid against the gun stock, will be a little above the level of the bottom or groove of the channel between the barrels 1 or a little above the upper surface of the barrel, in the case of single barreled guns, in such a manner that the aim is taken as if the gun were provided with a rear sight.

Another embodiment of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. Here, again, the barrels and stock are of the ordinary type, except as regards the cross sectional form of the stock, but in this embodiment the surface 1 is relatively flat or only very slightly convex, and the angle which this surface makes to the vertical plane M-N is less acute than it is in Figs. 3 and 4, and further this inclined surface 1 is broader than it is in Fig. 3.

Furthermore, it will be seen from Fig. 8 that in this embodiment, the greater portion of the material of the stock lies to the right of the medial line M'N, that a slight shoulder 3' is formed below the surface 1, and that a shoulder on the opposite side of the face is formed by slightly undercutting this side face of the gun, as at 2. It will likewise be seen from Fig. 6 that the fiat surface 1 is relatively narrow at its forward end and gradually becomes wider toward the rear end and more convex, and then becomes narrower and merges into the stock. This particular embodiment is made for gunners who aim with the left eye instead of with the right.

It is to be taken for granted that each gun stock will be so proportioned and have such form as may suit it to the conformation and habits of the individual gunner. Thus, for every gunner the position of the cheek surface 1, degree of its elevation or depression, the degree of its curvature and of its angle, is calculated by taking into account the distance between the cheek and the eye, and so forming this portion of the stock that when the cheek is placed against the surface, the eye will be disposed in alinement with the line of sight, that is a line passing through the foresight, disposed either closer to or farther from the surface of the barrel or the surface of the groove between the barrels, the amount which may be desired.

Each individual gunner, where perfection in shooting is desired, is to have the stock made for him, and with special reference to the proper regulation of the gun,

the data for which regulation can be secured by an expert gunsmith by testing the shooting of the gunnerwith a gun having a stock formed with removable portions corresponding to the protuberances and flattened parts of the un stock illustrated in the drawings. It Wlll be obvious, therefore, that whatever the conformation of the gunners head and whatever the action of the gunner in aiming and firing, a stock can be made for him, by which the contact of further it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the use of a stock wherein the stock is molded or carved from one piece of material, as it is obvious that ordinary stocks may be changed to conform to my invention by gluing or otherwise attaching i thereto a new busk or piece which woul provide a check supporting surface at the proper position and disposed at the proper angle.

claim 1. A gun stock having the vertical axial plane of symmetry of the butt of the stock coincident with the aiming line and having that portion of the stock between the grip and the butt unsymmetrical with respect to the said vertical axial plane, the upper face of said portion being laterally and upwardly inclined to provide a cheek supporting surface, the sides of the stock below said inclined upper surface being reduced in thickness to provide shoulders above the reduced portion.

2. A gun stock having the vertical axial plane of symmetry of the butt of thestock coincident with the aiming line and having that portion of the stock between the grip and the butt unsymmetrical with respect to the said vertical axial plane, the upper face of said portion being laterally and upwardly inclined to provide a cheek supportingsurface, the sides of the stock below said inclined upper surface being reduced in thickness to provide shoulders above the reduced portion, said portion of the stock having the inclined'face gradually widening rearward and then being reduced and merging into the butt of the stock.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EUGENE MOUSSEAUX. 

